Baler attachment



March 23, 1954 R. D. EL DER' I' BALER ATTACHMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 31. 1949 Inventor Raymond 0. Elder! March 23, 1954 R -r V 2,672,808

. BALER ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 31, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 Inventor Raymond D. E lderl March 23, 1954 ELDERT' 2,672,808

BALER ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 51. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Fig. 81.

Raymond 0. Elder! (mf away 8% Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALER ATTACHMENT Raymond D. Eldert, Williamsfield, Ill. Application January 31, 1949, Serial No. 73,826

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a baler attachment and more particularly to an attachment for balers of the type having means to roll hay or straw into a succession of substantially circular cylindrical bales or bundles, and from which each bale or bundle is discharged upon the completion thereof.

Balers of the type to which this invention relates have found wide utility in the baling or packaging of materials such as hay, straw or the like, and serve admirably their purpose. Owing to the fact, however, that wide variations occur in the density of the material that is fed to the baler and that the density of a finished bale or bundle determines its time of discharge from the baler it becomes apparent that the discharge of the completed bales or bundles from the baler has been more or less at random. The random discharge of the bales or bundles from the baler necessitates many and irregular stops by the equipment employed to collect the bales deposited in a field by a baler, and as a result much time is consumed in collecting the completed bales for subsequent storage. v

The primary object of this invention is to reduce the number of stops necessary to collect bales deposited by such balers in a field.

Another object is to effect economies in the collection of bales or bundles formed by balers of the type above referred to.

A further and more specific object is to enable a group of bales or bundles to be deposited as the baler progresses, thus enabling the bale collector to load a number of bales or bundles at a single stop. I

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features an inclined platform which is connected to and slopes downwardly from the bale or bundle forming apparatus and onto the upper portion of which the bales or bundles are deposited as they leave the bale or bundle forming apparatus, a gate carried by the platform adjacent the lowerend thereof to arrest downward movement of bales or bundles along said platform and cause them to accumulate on the platform, and means coupled to, the bale or bundle forming apparatus and operatively associated with the gate periodically to permit the gate to open under the weight of the bales accumulated on the platform, thus to discharge a group of bales from the baler.

Other features include a latch operatively associated with the gate to retain said gate in bundle obstructing relation to the platform, a

latch release member operatively associated with the latch and coupled to a crank arm mounted on the platform near the baler, a ratchet wheel operatively connected with the crank arm for intermittently moving it, and a push rod actuatecl dog operated in unison with the bale forming apparatus and engaging the ratchet wheel to move said ratchet wheel and crank arm each time a bale is formed by the baler.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a fragment of a conventional baler illustrating this attachment in place thereon;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the baler attachment showing it operatively coupled to the baler, only portions of said baler being illustrated;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged side view of the gate controlling mechanism, illustrating the gate in latched position;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the gate in its unlatched position;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the latch and the latch control rod;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Figure 6; and v Figure 10 is a side view of the baler showing the mounting of the upper belt.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a conventional baler designated generally Ill includes upper and lower groups of bale forming belts M and IE, respectively. The belts I4 are entrained around rollers l3, l5 and ll. The roller I3 is mounted in fixed position on the frame of the baler. Roller I5 is capable of forward and upward movement with respect to the roller I3. A shaft [9 is rotatably secured to the frame of the baler adjacent the upper end thereof. The shaft is supported at one end by a bracket 2| and at the other end by one of the brace members of the baler. An arm I8 is fixedly secured to each end of the shaft [9, whereby movement of one arm will cause a like movement of the other, arm. The arm I 8 at the end of the shaft [9 adjacent the bracket 2| has a forwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion. The roller I l is secured to the rear end 3 of the rearwardly extending portion of the arm. The other arm l8 has a forwardly extending portion only. A spring 23 is secured between the end of the arm and the baler frame.

The operation of the baler is similar to that shown in Patent No. 2,096,660. As the bale is formed between the belts l4 and it, the belt M will be moved upwardly and at the same time roller I5 will be moved forwardly. As the belt is tightened, due to the deformation of "the belt between rollers l3 and i5 and the forward movement of roller [5, roller I! will be forced down-.

ward, thereby moving the rear portion of arm l8 downward. This causes the shaft te rotate and forces the forwardly extending portion of the other arm l8 upwardly against the action of the spring 23. When the roller t5 moves up wardly the bale will be discharged from between the belts M and it and will allow the belt 'i l "to Slacker}. The spring 23 will then return the arms 18 and the roller to their original positi'ons.

In carrying my invention into practice I attach to the lever arms l8 lift fingers 2i} which project 'downwardly and rearwardly from the lever arm 18. A bale or bundle retaining gate 24 is supported on gate supporting arms 22 which are pivdtally "coupled to the 'bal'er to swing in vertical arcs at the "rear "of the baller, and this gate 2 1 when lowered obstructs the discharge of nished bale, retaining it in the baler adjacent the lower group T6 'of belts. The lit-"t fingers 2d engage the gate 24, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 1, and hence a bale is held in the'b'aler until-the next s'uc'seeding bale isoompl'eteda'nd has lifted the-belts M ready for it discharge. With the lifting of the belts hi, the arms [8 move upwardly carrying with them the lift *irngerszu and the gate 2'4 so that the latter will clear the previously formed bale or bundle.

A platform "designated generally 26 is composed of a group or sla'ts 28 "held together by tress pieces to and these slats as extend longitudinallyfof the "matrormanq carry at one end of said platform a ground skid =32. s4 joins the opposite ends of "the slats 2's and fixed to the angle bar 6'4 and extending forwardly therefrom are coupling members 34 which are adapted to be connected "a Cross member "36 of'the baler T '50 that the platform 26 slopes downwardly 'frdin "the 'ba' le'r immedistay elow the 'p'oi'n't 'or discharge of "the finished 'bundleso'r bales B rrom between the belts l4 and 16, A suitable forwardly extehding'guard plate as is secured in any surname i'ha'nrier to the forward ends of theslats 253 above the couplings 34 "and extend fo'r'wardly toward the lower endsnf the belts 1.6 to prevent bales or bundles from becoming wedged between the belts "andthe appre end-or the platform 26. Suitable longitudinallyextending guides Ml are carried 'bythe upper side of "the platform 26 to maintain on the platform bfa'les rolling down the platform toward the" skid "3 2 "Extending upwardly ffrom the platform adja {tent its lower rear end, and on opposite sides thereof are standards or columns 42 and t l, the upper endsjo'f whichare joinedbya horizontal cross bar 46 "carrying depending straps 33, the lower ends of which are "hooked'as at 5!) to form supporting members "for a horizontally"extend ing saris? which is rockably supported in the stahdar'd's 42 "and 14:4 adjacent the hpperfends thereof. This 'barSZ is provided'at longitudifiallyspac'ed points with radially-extending tines An angle bar 54 which project outwardly therefrom and are joined intermediate their ends by a cross member 56 to form together with the bar 52 a gate designated generally 58. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 8, the bar 52 projects through the standard 42 and has fixed to its outer end a latch arm 60 which engages a latch 62 which is pivoted as at 63 to the standard 42 intermediate the ends thereof. This latch 62 and latch arm 60 serve to hold "the gate $8 in -'a substantially vertical position across the lower rear end of the platform 26 to form an obstruction which will prevent bales deposited on the upper end of the platform from being discharged from the lower end thereof. Carried by the standard 42 adja- "cent the latch '62 is a guide plate 64 having a notch 6'5 therein which is normally covered by the latch 62, and formed in the guide plate 84 is a "guide slot 63 in which is slidably mounted a latch control plate It carrying on its underside a wedge 12 which is adapted when the plate is moved toward the rear end of the platform 26 to move the latch "8'2 dovmwardly against the effort of an extensible 'c'oilspring 14, one end-of which is anchored to the latch, while the other end is connected to the standard or column '42-.

Fixed to the member H3 and extending long-itudinally therefrom alongside of-the platform26 toward the bale'r 1 6 is a link :lhand the end 'bf the link -76 remote-from the member "10 isrota'tably "coupled as at 78' to a o'rank arm 80. This crank arm is carried at oneend of a h'aft 82 which is mounted fo'r rotation in a suitable bracket 8*4' carried by the platform 26 adjacent the baler i 0 Fixed tothe s'h'aft lH adiacent the end remote fro'rn the crank term 310 is "a ratchet wheel 86, and rotatably supported on the shaft 82-adjaceiit the ratchet wheel "86 is an arm 88 to which ie pivota lly connected by "a suitable coupling 911 one end of -a push rod 92, the opposite end' of which is pivota'llyconnected' to the arm [8 of the baler to having the springs 23 secured thereto, so that each time a bale or bundle is discharged from the baler by the upward movement -'of the group of belts M, the push rod 92 will be actuated to swing the rock arm 88 about the ax -iso'f the=shaft 82. A ratc 'h'et dog 54 is pivotally "coupled to the rook-arm 88 as at 9 6 and is yielding'lyheld "into contact with the periphery of the ratehet wlielby means of a suitable sprih'g 98.

"In 'order to hold 'the sha'ft a: against accidental rotation, a suitable f-rid'tion mem'b'er designated generally W0 is mounted o'n the shaft adjacent the bracket 84, and this friction member comprises two substantially s'eiiii cirou'lar p'lates 1'02 and HM each *b'f Whih 1s provided along each marginal edge with an outstanding flange- W6. I hese 'fl'ar-ig es are piercetltoreeeive adiusting bolts W8 by'whiohthe mem beibI02 a'n'd HM may be advanced toward fine a'nidther, and seated -i'n each me'mber 102 and t is a suitable fric'tion ra sing f ll) when 'rribr acs the shaft 82 under pressure. obviousiy, the "pressure or the "facrigs H0 may he regmated by adjirstment of th'e bo'l'ts ea. -In urner to udra the ifrietion :device Hi0 agairis't rdtati'oh, a suitable 'lpin l l 2 extends through i he bracket s4 -in to 'the space between tine pair 6f masses E )6.

' In order that the -cou15ling member may be cushioned "upon upward mnv'ement 10f tne pujsh rod 92, the push tod is provliiedwith a longitu'dinal xtenslon M4, the end of which remote from t he pusn rod is externally serew threaded to receives nut l f6,-'=and-bearing am the muffs one end of a compression coil spring H8, the opposite end of which bears against the coupling 90, so that when the push rod moves upwardly upon movement of the arm it, beyond a point at which the lever arm 88 can move upwardly,

any excess pull on the push rod 92 will be absorbed by the spring H8.

In use, it will be understood that with the platform 26 coupled as illustrated in Figure 5 to the discharge end of the baler [0, it will slope downwardly as illustrated in Figure 1, so that bales deposited on the upper end of the platform will roll down toward the skid 32. With the gate 58 held in a substantially vertical position by the latch 62, it will be evident that as the bales are released by the gate 24, the bales or bundles B will collect on the platform 26 in front of the gate 58. As the bales are formed in the baler l0, and attain a predetermined size, the belts l4 will be swung upwardly, thus causing the arms Hi to move and consequently lift the push rod 92 and cause the ratchet dog 34 to ride over the surface of the ratchet wheel 86 into a position to engage behind a ratchet tooth.

Upon downward movement of the arms IS with the discharge of a bale from between the belts of the baler, the dog 94 will cause the ratchet wheel 86 to rotate, thereby rotating the shaft 82 and crank arm 80 a part of a revolution. With the wedge 12 properly located in connection with the latch 62, it will be obvious that when the crank arm 80 has made a complete revolution, the latch 62 will be depressed against the effort of the spring 14, thus permitting the latch arm 60 to pass through the recess 66 in the plate 64 and hence the gate 58 will be free to swing upwardly about the axis of the bar 52, so that bales or bundles collected on the platform 26 between the gate 58 and the loaler It] will be permitted to roll off of the lower end of the platform so as to be discharged in a group. With the next movement of the arm 80, the wedge 72 will be disengaged from the latch 62, and with the discharge of the bales from the platform 26, the gate 58 will swing by gravity into its original vertical position, thus causing the latch arm 60 to latch behind the latch 62 so that the gate will be in obstructing relation with the discharge end of the platform 26.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In apparatus for successively forming substantially circular cylindrical bales of hay, straw or the like and from which said bales are discharged in succession as they are formed, said apparatus including vertically swingable spring loaded lever arms, means for collecting the successively discharged bales into groups and for successively depositing said groups of bales onto the ground, said means comprising an inclined platform which is connected to and slopes downwardly from the bale forming apparatus and onto the upper portion of which the bales are deposited as they leave the bale forming apparatus, a gate carried by the platform adjacent the lower end thereof to arrest downward movement of the bales and cause them to accumulate on the platform, and means coupled to the lever arms of the bale forming apparatus and operatively associated with the gate to periodically permit the gate to open under the weight of the bales accumulated on the platform.

2. In apparatus for successively forming substantially circular cylindrical bales of hay, straw or the like and from which said bales are discharged in succession as they are formed, said apparatus including vertically swingable spring loaded levers, means for collecting the successively discharged bales into groups and for successively depositing said groups of bales onto the ground, said means comprising an inclined platform which is connected to and slopes downwardly from the bale forming apparatus and onto the upper portion of which the bales are deposited as they leave the bale forming apparatus, a gate mounted on the platform adjacent the lower end thereof to swing about a horizontal axis above said platform and arrest downward movement of the bales, thereby to accumulate a group of bales on the platform, a latch to hold said gate closed, and means operatively associated with the latch and coupled to the levers of the bale forming apparatus to periodically release the latch and allow the gate to swing about the horizontal axis under the weight of the bales accumulated on the platform.

3. In baling apparatus of the type in which hay or straw i rolled. into a succession of substantially circular cylindrical bales from which said bales are discharged in succession as they are formed,

said apparatus including vertically swingable spring loaded levers, means for collecting the completed bales into groups and periodically depositing said groups of bales onto the ground, said means comprising an inclined platform which is connected to and slopes downwardly from the bale forming apparatus, bale straightening and retaining means carried adjacent the upper end of the platform connected to said levers and operable to release onto the upper end of the platform a retained bale as the next succeeding bale is completed, a gate carried by the platform adjacent the lower end thereof for arresting movement of the bales along said platform and accumulating a group of such bales on the platform, and means operatively associated with the gate and coupled to the levers of the baling apparatus, bale retaining means to periodically permit the gate to open under the weight of the group of bales accumulated on the platform.

4. In baling apparatus of the type in which hay or straw is rolled into a succession of substantially circular cylindrical bales and from which the bales are discharged as they are formed, means for collecting the completed bales into groups and periodically depositing said groups of bales onto the ground, said means comprising an inclined platform which is connected to and slopes downwardly from the bale forming apparatus, bale retaining means carried adjacent the upper end of the platform and operable to release onto the upper end of the platform a retained bale as the next succeeding bale is completed, a gate carried by the platform adjacent the lower end thereof for arresting movement of the bales along said platform and accumulating a group of such bales on the platform, a ratchet wheel carried by the platform, a push rod connected to the bale retaining means and actuating the ratchet wheel, an arm operated by the ratchet wheel, and means connected to the arm and operatively associated with the gate to release said gate in timed rela tion to the movements of the bale retaining means amazes l endf allow: saidi'gate-to: opemunder that-weight of the-haiesaceumulatedionithc platform.

&;-.,L'11 ba-ling: apparatus: of; the. type;- im which hay or straw is rolledlinto SUQCESSi-QDE ofrsube stantia'lly circular cylindrical; bales: andi from which, the bales-q are dischargcdi as:v they are. formed; means fors-collectingithe completedhales into groups. and periodically depositing; said groups ofbalesyontoathe ground, said-ymcanszcomr prising; air-inclined; platform; which: is connected to and; slopes downwardly from the bale: folmin apparatus; bale straightening and; retaining means: carried; adiacent: the upper end. or; the platiormgand operable torelease onto; the upper endaon thev platform:- a; retained and traiehtened- V r tsucceeclingbale-iscompleted; v a sv r; theplatiorm adjacent the-lower end thereof ion arresting, increments; of; the-bales along said platform and-. accumulating @eroupei suchabales err-the platiormnashait, mountedon the. platform; adjacent; the upper, end th of; to rotate-about, a: horizontal; axis; a; ratche wheel fixed: toisaidishait, push rod-iconpled atzone end togthe bale; retaining; means; a ratchet dog carricdabys-thcypus'h roman crating onithc ratchet wheel to rotate the shaft i111 timed relatiom with theomovements of :the hale retaininekmeansiand means actuatcdrzfby the shaft:an-dwoperatively as.- sociatedhwiththe. gate to periodically permit the gate to; open under the: weight of the bales accumulated on the platform.

-6-.'.. 111;. halingw. apparatusoi the type in which nay or; straw is rolled. into a succession of substantially, circular cylindrical bales and from which, thebales are discharged as they formed, said apparatus including a; pair of verticallyt swingable, spring loaded levers, means 7 for collecting the completed; bales into groups and periodically:depositing,saideroups of, bales onto thejground; saidg.means comprising an'inclined platform which is connected to and slopes downwardly from the bale forming apparatus, hale straightening and. retaining; means carried adjacent the; upper end of the platform and connected to saidlevcrs, saidstraightening and retainingmeans being operable to release ontothe upper end of the platform a retained and straightenedibale as'the'nextsucceeding bale is completed. and, as; the levers are raised, a, gate mounted above theplatform adjacent the real" endgthereof ;to swing aboutv a horizontal axis, a latch arm carriedv by; the gate, a latch carried by the platform in: cooperative relation to the latch armto hold. the gatesubstantially vertical and arrest movement, of; bales rolling; down the platformsoias to, cause them toaccumulate in a group on ,the platform,yand means coupled to theibaleretaining means andoperating the latch to: perio dically: release said latcln andi permit the gate toiopen; undcn thezrweight: of; the: balemacacumulatedronithe,iplatform.

'7. In a. bale; forming: apparatus; including; an upwardly,- swingablezupper; group-oi belts ;v 3.11MB! group; of belts and a; vertically: swingable" meme ber operatively connected; to: the upper; group; of belts; and: swingableupwardly with; the? upper groupmf. belts, a platformiextending downwardly and: rca-rwardly-fromthe groups of; belts; a ver:-' tically swingable. closure; supported by; the platform at the rear end: otthe latter; a latch-res taining, theclosureinitsg-closedpositiom latch releasing: mechanismi fonengaging and releasing the latch, and; means operatively connecting-said latch; releasing; mechanism; to: said: vertically swingableamemben fonactuatiom of the latch: 11eleasing, mechanism: to: its; latch releasing; posh tion .durinsiraisingrof thesmember and the upper group: of: belts;:.

8. Thecombination; of; claim 7- wherein. said latch releasing: mechanism; includes; a; sliding wed-get 9-;- Ina; bale: forming apparatus; including; an upwardly: swingable-yuppergronp oi belts; a lower groupr-of belts-and! a vertically swingable: memgbcr operatively-connected to: thcrupper group of belts and; swingable: upwardly: with-the upper group of belts; a-platform: extending downwardly andircarwardltc fromwthe; groups of belts; a:; ventically; swingable closure supported by the: platform"v at the rear end:- Of? the latter, a latch: re:- taining-t the closure in its: closed position," a latch releasing mechanism.- for; engaging and; releasing. thalatch; ,anclmeansioperatively connecting said latch: releasing mechanism tosaid vertically; svvingable; member.- for actuation of theAatch-releasing mechanism to its: latch, releasing; pQS'ir ticn during; raising: of; the: member: and the. up;- per group. of; belts, saidlastnamed: means in: eluding a1 rotatableshaft,; said. latch; releasing; mechanism including a; crank 7 attached: tor the shaft, and: said-connecting; meanscomprising a ratchet onasaidushaft andaapawl engagmgthe ratchet-and connectedto said member: ,v

RAYMOND? DI ELDERT."

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